10 Of The Strongest Cocktails You Can Get At Popular Chain Restaurants

It's safe to say that one of the most stressful parts of eating out is choosing a drink. It's the first question the server asks when they come to your table, and the first thing you taste that sets the mood for your dining experience. When it comes to ordering an alcoholic beverage, chain restaurants almost always have a selection of beer and wine, but the cocktail menus are what really set them apart. We particularly like looking at the unique specialty creations, with the strongest among them containing at least three types of alcohol. These are perfect choices for those who prefer something more potent to accompany their meals, and the exact recipes can't be found anywhere else.

These 10 chain restaurants have hit the bullseye with signature cocktails that are sure to put hair on your chest, but it's important to note that these menus are always changing. If any of these drinks stand out to you, be sure to try them out ASAP, because they may not be available forever. The cocktails on this list were chosen based on the number of different types of alcohols used, and not because of the exact alcohol by volume (ABV) of each drink. Unfortunately, we can't know for sure what the exact ABV is without having access to their prized recipes, but either way, you can trust that each of these chain-specific cocktails will leave an impression in one way or another.

When TGI Friday's changed the majority of its menu earlier this year, many familiar items were either altered or replaced entirely, and the drink menu wasn't spared from this purge. One of the biggest changes to the cocktail menu was the release of the Power Pours: a range of seven signature cocktails promoted for their two-ounce liquor pours. That alone is enough to make the entire Power Pours line stand out for its high alcohol content. But one drink in particular — The eLITe, a twist on the classic Long Island Iced Tea — deserves its own spot on this list.

Described by Friday's as "mega-sized", this cocktail contains Smirnoff vodka, New Amsterdam gin, Captain Morgan spiced rum, Grand Marnier, lemonade, and a splash of Coca-Cola. Other than the standard recipe's tequila and triple sec being replaced by Grand Marnier, the use of lemonade rather than lemon juice is a stark difference in this recipe. The addition of this sweeter beverage is likely an effort to tame the two-ounce pours of the four liquors, though it's tough to say without exact measurements. Either way, the amount of alcohol in The eLITe is sure to go down with a burn.

The rolls with cinnamon honey butter at Texas Roadhouse may be the chain's showstopper menu item, but there's one super-strong cocktail that deserves equal praise: the Legend Margarita. Made with three types of Patrón (Silver, Reposado, and Añejo), Grand Marnier, and its signature margarita sour mix, this drink is certainly not for the faint of heart. A classic margarita recipe calls for just one type of tequila, and this one takes it to an entirely new level.

A standard margarita also calls for triple sec, or orange liqueur, with Cointreau being a popular choice. Though Grand Marnier is another orange liqueur of the same ABV, it's made with cognac, which gives it a deeper and more complex flavor. Grand Marnier also brings that barrel-aged, oaky flavor to the drink, whereas Cointreau has a strikingly profound orange taste. Texas Roadhouse's house-made margarita mix already contains orange oil, so perhaps the restaurant traded triple sec or Cointreau for something that wouldn't overpower the drink with this citrus flavor.

The combination of the three tequilas is clearly the main event here, diluted by the sour mix just enough that the flavor profile remains without the drink being too difficult to get down. So why go through the pain of taking tequila shots when you can sip on a Legend Margarita instead?

Hard Rock Cafe is a great place to go when you're in the mood for classic American food, live music, and all the fun of the rock n' roll theme. It's easy to lose count of your drinks with all of the excitement going on around you, especially when the restaurant has such an expansive list of beers, wines, cocktails, and shots to try out. If you find yourself ordering its signature cocktail, however, you'll have to remember to pace yourself.

At first, the Hurricane may sound like it goes down easily with grenadine, orange, mango, and pineapple juices accompanying the Bacardí Superior Rum. It's just juice and a shot of rum, right? Nope. It's finished with a float of Bacardí Black Rum and amaretto, too. To float a drink is to pour a low-density alcohol over the back of a spoon to top it off. It's done for two reasons: to add visual appeal, and/or to create a more complex cocktail, as the float will slowly seep its way to the bottom of the drink while combining with the other flavors.

You may think the Hurricane is just another tropical cocktail with a splash of rum, but the more you drink, the more you'll taste what's happening on the surface — literally.

Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville is most well known for serving its namesake, and we wouldn't expect anything less than the best of them from the "Margaritaville" singer. There's a whopping 18 margaritas on the drink menu, and while each of them promises to make Mr. Buffett proud, the strongest drink at the restaurant actually isn't a margarita. It's the Incommunicado, featured on the Boat Drinks portion of the drink menu, which contains an incredible five shots of liquor.

Three of the liquors are Margaritaville-made spirits: gold tequila, silver rum, and triple sec. The recipe also calls for gin and Wheatley vodka, house-made sweet & sour, cranberry and pineapple juice, and a splash of grenadine. The mixers presumably do a great job at masking the biting taste of the spirits, but the restaurant also states that the drink is served on the rocks, so the melting ice will help dilute the alcohol a bit more. However, this doesn't mean that the ABV of the liquors will be decreased at all. In fact, all this means is that the potent flavor will be masked by the addition of water, so you're still getting the same buzz.

If you're hoping to waste away in Margaritaville in classic Buffett fashion, the Incommunicado is the best place to start — and finish, for that matter.

Outback Steakhouse has plenty of drinks on its menu that play on the Down Under theme, like the Koala Punch and the frozen Wallaby Darned. Of its eight specialty drinks, however, the Castaway Cocktail stands out as the strongest of the bunch. It's an on-the-rocks mix of Absolut Mandrin Vodka, Cruzan Passion Fruit Rum, and Malibu Coconut Rum with blood orange sour and pineapple juice. The drink is perfect for those who love fruity, tropical flavors, but who also prefer a more prevalent alcoholic punch than can be found in other tropical drinks, like a piña colada or a daiquiri. 

However, the Castaway isn't the only drink on Outback's cocktail menu with three liquors. The aforementioned Wallaby Darned contains La Marca Prosecco, Svedka vodka, and DeKuyper Peachtree Schnapps, so why doesn't this cocktail have a place on the list? For starters, frozen drinks dilute much faster because the ice particles are blended with the liquids. This doesn't impact the overall ABV, but it certainly makes the drink taste weaker than it is. Another reason is that the alcohols in the Wallaby Darned have much lower ABVs than the liquors used in the Castaway. The prosecco and peach schnapps have ABVs of 11% and 15%, respectively, whereas the passion fruit rum and coconut rum each have an ABV of 21%. The vodkas in each drink have ABVs of 40%, so when everything's put together, the ABV showdown is 82% to 66%, Castaway.

Not unlike Jimmy Buffett's, the alcoholic beverages you'd expect to be top contenders at Chili's are its margaritas. According to George Felix, the restaurant's Chief Marketing Officer, the Tex-Mex chain sells more margaritas than anyone else in the country, as of May 2025. The selection offers five classic margaritas, four Premium Pours, and three frozen margaritas. The strongest one you can get, however, is the Presidente Margarita from its list of classics.

Made with Lunazul Reposado Tequila, Citrónge Extra Fine Orange Liqueur, and E&J Brandy, the Presidente also includes house-made sour mix, but there's no mention of agave, lime, or anything else to help dilute the fierce alcohol taste. However, adding one or more flavor options to the classic Presidente, including mango, strawberry, blackberry, dragonfruit, and watermelon, would certainly add some sweetness to balance the trio of liquors.

The specialty margarita is named as Chili's best-seller, which is so popular that it's now made in large batches and dispensed through a draught. Even so, servers shake it exactly 25 times before serving it, with the Presidente-specific shaker also being shaken with ice 25 times before the margarita is dispensed. The shaker holds 5.25 ounces of liquid while the Presidente glass holds 3 ounces, so you'll get even more for your dollar out of this cocktail.

The Capital Grille sits on the list of more high-end, fine dining chain restaurants with its elegant ambience and gourmet meals, and its drinks are no less refined. This certainly isn't a restaurant that most people would visit on a regular basis due to the high prices, but it's a great choice for special occasions. And if you're in the mood to celebrate, indulging in the Double Oaked and Rye Manhattan will definitely help to elevate your excitement.

A classic Manhattan contains rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters, and a brandied cherry garnish. It's typically a 2:1 ratio of rye to vermouth, and while The Capital Grille doesn't include measurements for the cocktail, its recipe is still a bit different. The Double Oaked and Rye Manhattan is made with Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Bourbon, Woodford Reserve Rye, Carpano Antica Vermouth, and cherries. Whether it follows the ratio or not, there's an extra shot of liquor provided by the bourbon, so it'll definitely be among the more fearsome Manhattans you've ever tried.

Unfortunately, there aren't any pictures to be found of this particular cocktail, which is all the more reason to pay a visit to The Capital Grille and see it for yourself.

We're circling back to Texas Roadhouse for one more exceptionally strong drink to accompany The Legend Margarita: the Top Shelf L.I.T., yet another twist on the Long Island Iced Tea. The restaurant actually has three versions of the classic cocktail on its menu, but this one in particular packs the strongest punch. It starts with a base of Wheatley Vodka, Tanqueray Gin, and Bacardí Rum. It's then mixed with triple sec and the restaurant's signature sweet and sour mix and topped with Coca-Cola. The only classic recipe ingredient it's missing is tequila. But what exactly makes it Top Shelf? It's simple – the Tanqueray, the sole top-shelf liquor of the bunch.

Like other cocktails that contain soda, tonic water, champagne, or other carbonated beverages, it's important to note the impact of carbonation on alcohol consumption. Carbonation makes alcohol move through the bloodstream at a faster rate than normal, so even though the ABV isn't increased, you'll feel the buzz a bit faster than you would with an entirely flat drink. If it goes down a little too easily, be wary of this fact when ordering another. Including the obvious factor of the many liquors in the cocktail, this could be another reason that the Top Shelf L.I.T., plus other variations, are considered so strong.

Not unlike The Capital Grille, The Melting Pot is another more high-end chain restaurant, which may be due in part to the experience of cooking your own food directly at your table. And while ooey-gooey fondue is usually the first thing that comes to mind when we think of it, the restaurant also has plenty of delicious cocktails on its menu, including the alcohol-packed Freshly-Picked Margarita. Like the other margaritas on this list, it's a signature twist on a fan-favorite drink, and it's perfect for those who love a strong citrus flavor.

The blend of lemon, lime, orange, and grapefruit juices accompanies Avion Silver Tequila, Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur, Cointreau, and agave nectar. The Cointreau meets a classic margarita's requirement for triple sec, but the Solerno adds another level of orange flavor without relying too heavily on the mixers. Citrus mixers in particular can mask the potent taste of alcohol very well, so with the combination of four juices added to the margarita, it may go down a bit smoothly before you start to feel the buzz.

If the strength and taste of the cocktail aren't enough to convince you to visit The Melting Pot and try it out for yourself, then it's worth mentioning that the product is featured on the restaurant's Best in Glass program, which has won several awards. An award-winning drink packed with liquor and fresh flavors is definitely worth a try to us, and to anyone looking for a fruitier drink that packs a punch.

Last but certainly not least, we're headed back to Hard Rock Cafe to discuss yet another powerful cocktail: the Southern Rock. It's listed under the Jam Sessions portion of the restaurant's drink menu, and at first glance, it looks like it could be considered a southern twist on a French Martini. It's made with Chambord and vodka like the martini, but it doesn't call for pineapple juice. Rather, it relies on a sweet and sour mix with a topping of Sprite, and it isn't limited to just two types of alcohol. You're sure to taste the Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey and Southern Comfort after just one sip, too.

The four liquors are added to a glass with ice first, followed by the sour mix, and shaken with even more ice before being returned to a serving glass and topped with Sprite. Shaking instead of stirring leads to quicker dilution, which is certainly necessary to help these powerful, intimidating alcohols go down more smoothly. Just be careful again with that Sprite topping, as it makes the alcohol move through your bloodstream a bit faster — once the burn of the alcohol has been tamed, you're sure to feel all four liquors after just one drink.